Fracture dominated wear of sharp abrasive grains and grinding wheels

Abstract

Fracture-dominated wear of abrasive grains is the most important mechanism of material removal from an abrasive wheel during the grinding process. Fracture occurs as a consequence of tensile stresses induced in the abrasive grains by grinding forces to which they are subjected. Experimental work is extracted from the literature and compared with a model abrasive grain using a variety of abrasive grain materials such as alumina, silicon carbide, cubic boron nitride and diamond, with loads applied to the apex and the rake face of an abrasive wedge. The relationship between the wear of grinding wheels, component grinding forces and induced stresses in the model abrasive grains is described in detail. A significant correlation is found between the maximum value of tensile stress induced in the abrasive grain material and the appropriate wheel-wear parameter (grinding ratio). It is concluded that the magnitude of tensile stresses induced in the grain material by grinding forces at the rake face is the best indicator of wheel wear during the grinding process.